Diaper tape fastener

ABSTRACT

A tape fastener for a disposable diaper having opposed surfaces and opening means extending through an absorbent pad of the diaper. The tape fastener has a pressure-sensitive tape strip having a first portion secured to one surface of the diaper with adhesive on the first portion being exposed through the opening means. The fastener also has a release sheet having at least a portion attached to the first portion of the tape strip by the adhesive exposed through the opening means.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to absorbent articles, and moreparticularly to disposable diapers.

A various assortment of disposable diapers have been proposed for use oninfants. A number of such diapers have been provided with tape fastenersfor securing the diaper about the infant during placement. The tapefasteners have generally taken the form of a tape strip having asecurement portion which is covered by a release sheet, with the releasesheet being removed from the securement portion of the tape strip duringplacement of the diaper to expose adhesive on the securement portion.While it has been found that parents prefer that the release sheet besecured to the diaper itself to eliminate the necessity for discardingthe release sheet, it is also desirable that the tape fastener be madeof economic construction to reduce the cost of the diaper to theconsumer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principal feature of the present invention is the provision of a tapefastener for a disposable diaper of simplified construction and reducedcost.

The diaper has an absorbent pad assembly having an absorbent pad, a backsurface, a front surface, and at least one side edge. The pad assemblyhas an area of a first thickness and a region of reduced thicknessadjacent a side edge of the pad. The pad assembly has opening meansextending through the pad assembly and the region of the pad, with theopening means being spaced from the side edges of the pad assembly andpad. The tape fastener comprises, a pressure-sensitive tape strip havinga first end section secured to the back surface of the pad assembly withadhesive on the first end section being exposed through the openingmeans of the pad assembly, and a second securement end section extendingpast the side edge of the pad assembly. The tape fastener also has asheet, such as a release sheet, having a first surface providing arelatively low affinity for adhesive on the tape strip and having asecond surface facing the front surface of the pad assembly, with theadhesive exposed through the opening means being attached to the sheetadjacent one end thereof.

In one embodiment, the sheet extends from the opening means past theside edge of the pad assembly, with the other end of the sheet beingattached to adhesive on the second end section of the tape strip. Inanother embodiment, the pad assembly has second opening means adjacentthe side edge of the pad assembly and extending through the region ofthe pad, with adhesive of the first end section of the tape strip beingexposed through the second opening means. The adhesive exposed throughthe second opening means is attached to the other end of the sheetadjacent the side edge of the pad assembly.

Thus, a feature of the present invention is that the sheet may bepermanently retained against the front surface of the pad assembly, andneed not be discarded after placement of the diaper.

Another feature of the present invention is that the sheet may beretained against the front surface of the pad assembly by adhesive onthe tape strip.

Yet another feature of the invention is that the tape strip may beanchored to the sheet by adhesive on the strip and sheet which isattached through the opening means.

Still another feature of the invention is that the pad assembly mayinclude a fluid impervious backing sheet which has lateral side marginscovering side margins of the pad to minimize leakage from the pad.

A feature of the invention is that the pad region of reduced thicknessfacilitates attachment of the sheet and tape strip together through thepad.

Further features will become more fully apparent in the followingdescription of the embodiments of this invention and from the appendedclaims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tape fastener according to the presentinvention prior to placement on a diaper;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a disposable diaper showing thetape fastener of FIG. 1 as partially applied to the diaper;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the diaper showing the tapefastener of FIG. 1 as secured to the diaper;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the diaper of FIG. 3 showing asecurement portion of a tape strip releasably attached to a releasesheet in the tape fastener;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially as indicatedalong the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially as indicatedalong the line 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a diaper showing another embodimentof the tape fastener of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a diaper showing another embodimentof the tape fastener of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially as indicatedalong the line 9--9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another tape fastener according to thepresent invention prior to placement on the diaper; and FIG. 11 is afragmentary plan view of a disposable diaper showing the tape fastenerof FIG. 10 as partially applied to the diaper.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a disposable diapergenerally designated 20 having an absorbent pad assembly 22 and a tapefastener 24 secured to the pad assembly 22. The pad assembly 22 has afront surface 26, a back surface 28, a side edge 30 , and an end edge 32connecting the side edge 30. The pad assembly 22 has a fluid perviouscover sheet 34 defining a substantial portion of the front surface 26 ofthe pad assembly, a fluid impervious backing sheet 36 defining the backsurface 28 of the pad assembly and having a lateral side margin 38folded over and secured to the front surface 26 of the pad assembly, andan absorbent pad 40 intermediate the cover and backing sheets 34 and 36.The absorbent pad 40 has a side edge 42 located adjacent the side edge30 of the pad assembly 22, such that the backing sheet margin 38 coversa side margin of the pad 40. The pad also has an edge 44 connecting theside edge 42 and spaced from the end edge 32 of the pad assembly 22.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2-6, the absorbent pad 40 has an area 39 of afirst thickness extending throughout a substantial portion of the pad,and a region 41 of reduced thickness located adjacent the juncture ofthe side and end edges 42 and 44, respectively, of the pad 40. Theregion 41 of reduced thickness may be formed in any suitable manner,such as by compressing this portion of the pad. The compression of thepad 40 in the region 41 may be facilitated by first wetting the pad inthis region. Alternatively, the pad 40 may have a reduced amount ofmaterial in the region 41 in order to obtain the reduced thickness inthe region. If desired, a small amount of binder, such as Rhoplex HA-8,a trademark of Rohm and Haas, may be sprayed on the region 41 prior tocompression thereof, in order to facilitate retention of the region 41in its compressed state.

The pad assembly 22 also has opening means 46 extending through the padassembly and the region 41 of the pad 40, with the opening means 46being spaced from the side edge 30 of the pad assembly 22 and the sideedge 42 of the pad 40. In this embodiment, the opening means 46comprises a pair of spaced openings which are spaced longitudinallyrelative the diaper and laterally across an underlying tape strip, aswill be seen below. It is understood that the opposed side of the diaper(not shown) would normally have a structure substantially similar tothat described above, and would include a tape fastener as describedbelow.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tape fastener 24 has an elongatedpressure-sensitive tape strip 50 having a first end section 52, a secondsecurement end section 54, and adhesive 55 on one surface of the strip.The tape strip 50 may have a folded over end 56 adjacent the outer endof the second end section 54 defining tab means for a purpose which willbe described below. The tape fastener 24 also has a release sheet 58having a first surface 60 providing a relatively low affinity for theadhesive 55 on the tape strip 50, and a second opposed surface 62 havinga relatively high affinity for the adhesive 55 on the tape strip 50. Thesecond surface 62 of one end 64 of the release sheet 58 is secured tothe adhesive 55 on the second end section 54 of the tape strip 50, inorder to retain the one end 64 to the tape strip, as described below.Either the first surface 60 or the second surface 62 of the releasesheet 58 may be treated, as desired, to obtain the relative affinitiesfor the adhesive 55. For example, the first surface of a paper strip,serving as the release sheet, may be treated with a silicon releasecoating to obtain the desired release characteristics from the adhesive,while the second surface remains untreated to obtain a firm bond withthe adhesive.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first end section 52 of the tape strip 50 issecured to the back surface 28 of the pad assembly 22, such thatadhesive on the first end section 52 is exposed through the openings oropening means 46. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the other end 66 ofthe release sheet 58 is folded over the front surface 26 of the padassembly 22, with the second surface 62 of the release sheet 58 facingthe front surface 26 of the pad assembly. Since the region 41 of theabsorbent pad 40 has a reduced thickness, the relatively thin coversheet 34, backsheet 36, and pad region 41 present only a slight spacingbetween the other end 66 of the release sheet 58 and the first endsection 52 of the tape strip 50. Accordingly, the other end 66 of therelease sheet 58 may be pressed against the pad assembly, in order thatthe adhesive which is exposed through the opening means 46 contacts thesecond surface 62 of the release sheet 58. Since the second surface 62of the release sheet 58 has a relatively high affinity for the adhesive55 on the tape strip 50, the one end 64 of the release sheet 58 isretained by the adhesive on the second end section 54 of the tape strip,while the other end 66 is retained against the front surface 26 of thepad assembly 22 by the adhesive exposed through the opening means 46.Accordingly, the release sheet is retained against the front surface 26of the pad assembly without use of separate adhesive on the releasesheet 58, thus eliminating the cost of the separate adhesive for therelease sheet. Moreover, the release sheet is retained in a manner suchthat the backing sheet margin 38 covers the side margin of the pad 40 tominimize leakage from the pad.

As shown in FIGS. 3-6, the second end section 54 of the tape strip 50,including the one end 64 of the release sheet 58, is folded over thefront of the diaper and the second end section 54 of the tape strip 50is releasably attached to the first surface 60 of the release sheet 58.Since the first surface 60 of the release sheet 58 has a relatively lowaffinity for the adhesive on the second end section 54 of the tapestrip, the second end section of the tape strip may be readily removedfrom the release sheet 58 during placement of the diaper. Removal of thesecond end section 54 from the release sheet 58 is facilitated by thetab 56 at the outer end of the second end section, which is free ofattachment to the release sheet 58 or the pad assembly 22. After thesecond end section 54 of the tape strip 50 is removed from the firstsurface 60 of the release sheet 58, in the position as shown in FIG. 3,the second end section 54 is properly located for securing the diaper 20about the infant. Thus, securement of the diaper is accomplished withoutremoval of the release sheet from the pad assembly, eliminating thenecessity for separately discarding release sheets after placement ofthe diaper.

However, if desired, the second surface 62 of the release sheet orconnecting strip 58 may be treated to provide a moderate affinity towardthe adhesive 55 on the tape strip 50. In this configuration, the releasesheet or anchoring strip 58 is retained in place during normal use ofthe diaper, as previously described. The user may peel the release sheet58 from the diaper to expose fresh adhesive which was covered by the oneend 64 of the release sheet 58. The fresh adhesive may be utilized toreposition the tape strip during further use of the diaper, or to securethe diaper in a rolled or folded configuration after use of the diaperfor convenient disposal of the soiled diaper.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 7, inwhich like reference numerals designate like parts. In this embodiment,the side edge 42 of the absorbent pad 40 is located adjacent the sideedge 30 of the pad assembly 22, and the opening means 46 extends throughthe pad region 41 and is spaced from the pad side edge 42, as previouslydescribed. However, in this embodiment, the pad assembly has secondopening means 70 extending through the pad assembly and pad region 41.The second opening means 70 is located adjacent the side edges 30 and 42of the pad assembly 22 and pad 40, respectively, with adhesive on thefirst end section 52 of the tape strip 50 also being exposed through thesecond opening means 70. In this embodiment, the one end 64 of therelease sheet 58 is located adjacent the side edge 30 of the padassembly 22. Thus, the adhesive exposed through the second opening means70 contacts the second surface 62 of the one release sheet end 64, andsecures the one end 64 against the front surface 26 of the pad assembly22, while the adhesive exposed through the first opening means 46retains the other end 66 of the release sheet 58 against the padassembly. Accordingly, the release sheet 58 is retained in place againstthe front surface of the pad assembly by the adhesive exposed throughthe spaced opening means 46 and 70.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 8 and9, in which like reference numerals designate like parts. In thisembodiment, a release sheet 72 is releasably attached to the adhesive onthe second end section 54 of the tape strip 50. The release sheet 72 isremoved from the second end section 54 during placement of the diaper toexpose the underlying adhesive which is then used to secure the diaperabout the infant. In this embodiment, the sheet 58', which need not havea treated first surface 60, serves to obtain improved anchorage of thefirst end section 52 of the tape strip 50 to the diaper. The openingmeans 46 extends through the pad region 41 of reduced thickness, and thesheet 58' is secured to the tape strip 50 through the opening means 46and at the one end 64 of the sheet 58', thus preventing the first endsection 52 of the tape strip 50 from being torn from the back sheet andbeing pulled away from the diaper. The release sheet described inconnection with previous embodiments of the tape fastener also serves asimilar function.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 10and 11, in which like reference numerals designate like parts. In thisembodiment, the release sheet 58 has an adhesive 63 defining its secondsurface 62, such that the adhesive 55 on the tape strip 50 and theadhesive 63 on the release sheet 58 are attached together through theopening means 46 when the release sheet is folded over and pressedagainst the pad assembly. Also, the adhesive 63 on the one end 64 of therelease sheet 58 is attached to the adhesive 55 on the securementsection 54 of the tape strip, and the tape strip is thus firmly anchoredto the release sheet to prevent the tape strip from tearing from arelatively thin backing sheet, such as a backing sheet having athickness of 0.3 to 0.9 mils. As before, the opening means 46 extendsthrough the pad region 41 of reduced thickness. Also, it will beunderstood that the sheets 58 and 58' of the diapers described inconnection with FIGS. 1-9 may have adhesive on their second surfaces, ifdesired.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:
 1. A disposable diaper, comprising:an absorbent pad assemblyhaving an absorbent pad, opposed first and second surfaces, at least oneside edge, and opening means extending through the pad assemblyincluding said pad, said opening means being spaced from said side edge;and a tape fastener comprising.a pressure-sensitive tape strip having afirst end section secured to the first surface of the pad assembly withadhesive on the first end section being exposed through said openingmeans of the pad assembly, and a second securement section extendingpast said side edge of the pad assembly, and a sheet having a firstsurface and a second surface facing the second surface of the padassembly, with said adhesive exposed through the opening means beingfixedly attached to the sheet.
 2. The diaper of claim 1 wherein saidfirst surface of said sheet has a relatively low affinity for adhesiveon the tape strip, and the second section of the tape strip isreleasably attached to the first surface of the sheet.
 3. The diaper ofclaim 2 wherein said second section of the tape strip has tab meansadjacent its outer end to facilitate removal of the second section fromthe sheet.
 4. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said sheet extends from saidopening means toward the side edge of the pad assembly.
 5. The diaper ofclaim 4 wherein said sheet has one end extending past the side edge ofthe pad assembly, with said one end of the sheet being attached toadhesive on the second section of the tape strip adjacent said sideedge.
 6. The diaper of claim 5 wherein the sheet is releasably attachedto the tape strip.
 7. The diaper of claim 4 wherein said pad assemblyincludes aperture means intermediate said opening means and the sideedge of the pad assembly, with adhesive on the first end section of thetape strip being exposed through said aperture means and being attachedto the sheet.
 8. The diaper of claim 7 wherein one end of said sheet islocated intermediate the aperture means and the side edge of the padassembly.
 9. The diaper of claim 7 wherein said aperture means islocated adjacent the side edge of the pad assembly.
 10. The diaper ofclaim 7 wherein said aperture means extends through said absorbent pad.11. The diaper of claim 1 wherein an end edge of the sheet is locatedadjacent said opening means and remote the opening means relative theside edge of the pad assembly.
 12. The diaper of claim 1 wherein saidpad assembly includes a fluid impervious backing sheet defining at leasta portion of the first surface of the pad assembly, in which said firstend section of the tape strip is secured to said backing sheet, and inwhich said backing sheet includes lateral side margins folded over thefront of the pad assembly and covering side margins of the absorbentpad.
 13. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said absorbent pad includes atleast one side edge located adjacent the side edge of the pad assembly.14. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said sheet has an adhesive free secondsurface having at least a moderate affinity for adhesive on said tapestrip, and in which the adhesive exposed through the opening meanscontacts the second surface on the sheet and retains at least a portionof the sheet against the pad assembly.
 15. The diaper of claim 14wherein the second surface of the sheet has a relatively high affinityfor adhesive on the tape strip.
 16. The diaper of claim 1 wherein saidopening means comprises a pair of spaced openings spaced laterallyacross the first end section of the tape strip.
 17. The diaper of claim1 including a release sheet releasably attached to the adhesive on thesecond section of the tape strip.
 18. The diaper of claim 1 wherein saidsheet has an adhesive-bearing second surface secured to the secondsurface of the pad assembly, and in which the adhesive of the tape stripexposed through the opening means contacts the adhesive defining thesecond surface of the sheet to anchor the first end section of the tapestrip to said sheet.
 19. The diaper of claim 1 wherein said pad has aregion of reduced thickness around said opening means to facilitateattachment of the tape strip to said sheet through the opening means.20. The diaper of claim 19 wherein said region comprises a compressedportion of said pad.
 21. The diaper of claim 19 wherein said pad has areduced amount of material in said region.
 22. The diaper of claim 19wherein said pad has a side edge and an end edge connecting said sideedge, and in which the region is located adjacent the juncture of saidside and end edge of the pad.
 23. The diaper of claim 19 wherein saidregion includes a binder.
 24. A disposable diaper, comprising:anabsorbent pad assembly having a back surface, a front surface, at leastone side edge, an absorbent pad having an area of a first thickness anda region of reduced thickness adjacent a side edge of the pad, andopening means extending through the pad assembly and said region of thepad, said opening means being spaced from the side edges of the padassembly and said pad; and a tape fastener comprising,apressure-sensitive tape strip having a first end section secured to theback surface of the pad assembly with adhesive on the first end sectionbeing exposed through said opening means of the pad assembly, and asecond securement end section extending past the side edge of the padassembly, and a release sheet having a first surface providing arelatively low affinity for adhesive on said tape strip and a secondsurface facing the front surface of the pad assembly, with said adhesiveexposed through the opening means being attached to the release sheetadjacent one end of the release sheet, said release sheet extending pastthe side edge of the pad assembly with the other end of the releasesheet being attached to adhesive on the second end section of the tapestrip adjacent the side edge of the pad assembly, said second endsection of the tape strip being folded over and releasably attached tothe first surface of the release sheet.
 25. A disposable diaper,comprising:an absorbent pad assembly having a back surface, a frontsurface, at least one side edge, an absorbent pad having an area of afirst thickness and a region of reduced thickness adjacent a side edgeof the pad, first opening means extending through the pad assembly andsaid region of the pad, with the first opening means being spaced fromthe side edge of the pad assembly and said pad, and second opening meansextending through the pad assembly and said region of the pad, with thesecond opening means being located intermediate the first opening meansand the side edge of said pad; and a tape fastener comprising,apressure-sensitive tape strip having a first end section secured to theback surface of the pad assembly with adhesive on the first end sectionbeing exposed through the first and second opening means of the padassembly, and a second securement end section extending past the sideedge of the pad assembly, and a release sheet having a first surfaceproviding a relatively low affinity for adhesive on said tape strip anda second surface facing the front surface of the pad assembly, with saidadhesive exposed through the first and second opening means beingattached to the release sheet, said second end section of the tape stripbeing folded over and releasably attached to the first surface of therelease sheet.
 26. A tape fastener for a disposable diaper havingopposed surfaces and opening means extending through an absorbent pad ofthe diaper, comprising:a pressure-sensitive tape strip having a firstportion secured to one of the surfaces of the diaper with adhesive onthe first portion being exposed through the opening means, and asecurement portion spaced from the opening means for securing the diaperabout an infant; and a release sheet having at least a portion fixedlyattached to the first portion of the tape strip by the adhesive exposedthrough said opening means, said securement portion being releasablyattached to said release sheet.